Apparatus for separating suspended material from gases



Sept. 18, 1934. G. H. HORNE ET AL APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SUSPENDEDMATERIAL FROM GASES Original Filed Oct. 28, 192

INVENTOR 650%: H. Home MPCEL. AL/ssm/u BY M ATTOR Y Patented Sept. 18,1934 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mm'rus FOR saraaa'rmasosmn FROM ,GASES George H. Home GlendalqandMar-cel A.'Lissman,- City, Calif assignorsto International Precipitation Company, Los Angeles, Calif acorporatiomot qahiornia Original application oc'mb'wzs, 1929, Serial No.403,003. Divided and this" application 'May 31.

No. 114,356. neneweds-Eebggry 6 Claims. (Cl. 185-43) This inventionrelates to the treatment 01! therein are forced outwardly bycentrifugalaction, gases or vapors for the purpose of removing suseandaccumulate adjacent the walls of the separatpended materialthereirom,'and more particularly ing elements. The velocity of gas flowthrough to apparatus for eflectlng such removal of susthe apparatus ispreferably maintained sufllciently 5 pended material by means 0!cyclonic or vortical high to cause the downward whirling motion 01action in the gases or vapors being treated. the external vortex topersist throughout the This application is a division of ourapplic'alength of each separating element and at the tion Ser. No.403,003 filed October 28, 1929. restricted central outlet opening forseparated Animportant object of the invention is to promaterial at theend opposite the inlet means. The

vide an apparatus which is adapted to eflect a separated particles arethus carried downwardly highly eflicient separation of suspendedmaterial by the frictional effect of the downwardly moving from gases bycentrifugal action, and which is gas, and also by gravity, and arefinally discharged provided with improved means for maintaining throughthe restricted outlet openings into the the walls of the separatingapparatus at subcommon enlarged receiving chamber.

stantially the same temperature as the gas passed While the maintenanceof active whirling motherethrough. tionin the gas at these restricteddust outlet A particular object of the invention is to provide openingsis ordinarily effective in insuring the an apparatus in which heatcontained in the gases discharge of all separated particles into saiddelivered to the apparatus is utilized to maintain receiving chamber andpreventing accumulation the walls of the separating apparatus at atemthereof on the walls of the separating elements, perature higher thanthat of the surrounding atit has been found that, in the removal ofcertain mosphere. types of suspended materials from gases there Afurther object of the invention is to provide a is a tendency for theseparated material to stick v centrifugal gas cleaning apparatus havinga 11 1-. together and to the walls of the separating eleso rality oicentrifugal separating elements and pro-. ments, particularly at. theportions of said walls vided with novel and advantageous gas inlet andadjacent the dust outlet openings. Said sticking gas outlet means foreffecting passage 01' gas is found to occur most commonly inthe-cleaning through all of said elements in parallel. of gases whichenter the apparatus at a temper-- The invention is particularlyapplicable to a ature above atmospheric temperature and which type ofcentrifugal gas cleaning apparatus having are of sufliciently highrelative humidity so that,

one ormore 0t axially elongated tubular separatif the walls of theseparating elements are subing elements of circular cross-section, eachof jected to cooling by the atmosphere, these walls which separatingelements communicates atone and the gasv coming in contact therewith areend with an inlet chamber common to all of said cooled sufficiently tocause condensation of moiselements and is provided at that end withinlet ture to occur within the separating elements. means adapted todeliver gas into said element in This condensation of moisture tends tomoisten a substantially tangential direction or with a or wet theseparated solid particles and causethe whirling motion, and is alsoprovided at the same same to stick to one another and to the walls ofend with centrally disposed gas outlet means, and the separatingelements. This is particularly is further provided at the other end witha re-' true with certain classes of solidmaterials, such strictedcentral outlet opening for separated maas powdered milk or powderedproducts derived terial communicating with an enlarged receiving frommilk, which have a great tendency to bechamber common to all oi theelements. In the come stickyinthe presenceof even asmall amountoperation of such apparatusihe gas carrying susof condensed moisture.

pended material is kept in active whirling or vor- According to thepresent invention the com- 100 tical motion throughout its passagethrough each mon inlet chamber through which the gas is inseparatingelement, while at the same time movtroduced to all of the separatingelements is ing in a compound vortical motion from the inlet formed as ahousing surrounding the separating means to the outlet means. In suchcompound elements, preierablythroughout the entire length verticalmotion the gas passes first in an outer' thereof,- and the incoming gasis delivered to said 105 vortex moving in a general direction from theinlet housing at a position adjacent the dust outlet means toward theseparated material outlet, and ends of said elements and remote from thegas .passes gradually inwardly into an inner vortex inlet ends of saidelements, so that this incoming moving-in the reverse direction toward,the, gas gas is caused to pass around and in contact with,

outlet means. By the vortical motion of the gas, the external walls ofsaid elementsbefore enter-- no the particles of suspended materialcontained in: the interiors thereof, thus causing the walls of saidelements to be maintained at substantially the same temperature as thegas, and preventing cooling thereof by the surrounding atmosphere.

. In this manner condensation of moisture within the separating elementsis substantially prevented and the tendency to sticking of theseparatedmaterial is eliminated.

' of separating apparatus according tothis invention, and referringthereto:

Fig. 1 is a partly sectional plan viewo'f suchapparatus, on line 1 din'Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional front elevation thereof on line'2'2 in Fig.1, with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, taken from the right side of Fig. 2.

The separating elements of the apparatus may be disposed in any desireddirection, either vertically, horizontally, or at any" suitable angle.

However, one of the simplest forms of construction is obtained byplacing these separating ele-' ments invertical or upright position, asshown in the drawing, and the following description will therefore bedirected to an apparatus in.

which the separating elements are so disposed.

When so disposed, the gas inlet means for-the respective separatingelements and the central gas outlet openings thereof are preferablyprovided at the upper ends of said-elements, and the restricted dustoutlet openings at the lower ends thereof. However, as above stated thisparticular disposition is not essential and it will be understood thatreference herein to the upper ends'of the separating elements refer ingeneral to the ends of the separating elements at which 1 the gas inletand gas outlet openings of. the re-- spective elements are located, andreferences to the lower ends of said separating elements refer ingeneral to the ends of the respective elements at whichthe restricteddust outlet openings are located.

The apparatus is shown-as comprising a plurality of axially elongatedtubular separating ele ments 1 of circular cross-section disposedvertically within acasing 2 havinga tapering or hopper-shaped bottomportion 3. Each of said separating elements preferably comprises.'asshown. a

cylindrical portion 10 extending throughout the maiorportion of theheight thereof. and a conical pr inwardly tapering bottom portion 12:below said the inner end thereof being substantially tangent to theprolongation of the cylindrical portion 1c;andtheouterendthereofbeingspacedradially outward from said inner end soas to provide an opening therebetween. Each separating element is alsoprovided witha centrally disposed gasoutletopening'ladiacenttheupperendthereof, said gas outlet opening beingpreferably provided at the lower end of a frusto-conical outlet axialwith respect to the separating element I. The outlet opening '7 ispreferably at approximately the same level as the lower end. of theinlet opening 6. A top plate llextends over the upper ends of all of theseparating elements and serves to close the upper end of. the commoninlet chamber provided by easing 2 and also to close the upper ends ofthe spaces between the involute-shaped wall portions 6 and the centraloutlet pipes 9. Said plate 11, however, is provided with openings 12disposed over the upper ends of the respective outlet pipes 9 so as topermit outflow of gas therethrough.

Within and spaced from the hopper-shaped bottom portion 3 of housing 2,there is provided a hopper-shaped dust-receiving chamber 14 providedwith a cover plate 15. The conical portions 1b of the respectiveseparating elements are shown as extending through said cover plate 15and projecting into the dust-receiving chamber 14, and are provided attheir lower ends with restrlcted dust outlet openings 16. Thehoppershaped bottom portion 3 of housing 2 is provided at one end withan inlet opening 17 having a collar 18 for connection to a flue orconduit through which the gases to be cleaned are delivered to the topplate 11 and communicating with the outlet pipes 9 of all of the[separating elements,

through the openings 12 in said top plate. Said outlet header isprovided at one end. with an outlet opening 25 having a collar 26 orother suitable means for connection to aflue or conduit through whichthe cleaned gas isconducted from the apparatus. I

The entire structure is shown as mounted on a suitable supporting frameindicated at 27, although it willbe understood that any desired form ofsupporting means-may be provided.

In the operation of the above-described apparatus, the gas containingdust or other suspended material is delivered through inlet opening 1'!into the hopper-shapedbottom portion ,3 of casing 2 and passes upwardlyaround dust-receiving chamber 14 and around the several separatingelements 1 to the individualinlet .openings 6 of the several separatingelements.

constitutes a common inlet chamber for delivering gas substantiallyuniformly to the inlet open-;

tire length thereof and also to surround the dust-.

receiving chamber 14.

The gas then passes through the respective separating elements in themanner above described, and the clean gas is delivered through outletpipes 9 to the outlet header 24, while the dust or other suspendedmaterial separating from the .gas by centrifugal force due to thevertical motion of the gas within the separating elements is dischargedthrough the restricted openings 16 into the receiving chamber 14. Thevelocity of gas flow through thefapparatus is preferably maintained Thecasing 2 with its hopper-shaped bottom portion 3 thuspipesdisposcdwithinthe'wallportiond'andcohightocauseflieactivewhirlingmo-15o ratus.

tion of the descending outer vortex to continue throughout the length ofthe separating elements and at the discharge openings 16, thus promotingthe discharge of separated material through said openings. The materialcollected in said receiving chamber may be discharged therefrom athrough discharge means 23. Also, any material settling from the gas bygravity within the inlet adapted for use on gases above atmospherictemperature and having a high relative humidity, particularly when thesuspended-material to be removed from such gases is of such a natureasto become sticky in the presence of moisture. Under theseconditiona'tliepassage of the incoming-gas aroundv the receiving chamber 14'and theseparating elements 1 causes the walls thereof to be maintained atsubstantially the same temperature as the gas, so that substantially nocooling of the gas occurs within the separating elements. This preventscondensation ,of moisture within said elements or upon the separatedparticles therein. The-separated particles, therefore, remain in.substantially dry condition and pass readily down, along the walls ofthe separating elements and through the outlet openings 16. The tendencyof such material to become sticky and adhere to the walls is eliminated,and such walls are kept in substantially clean condition. This not onlyprevents clogging of the outlet openings 16 which would seriouslyinterfere with the proper operation of the apparatus, but also preventsinjury to the collected material which might occur if it were permittedto accumulate at this point instead of being removed from the appa- Thecondensation of moisture within the receiving chamber 14 is alsosubstantially, prevented, so that the material collected therein is alsokept in substantially dry condition so as to thereof through dischargemeans 23.

We claim: 1. An apparatus for separating suspended material from gasescomprising a plurality of elongated tubular separating elements ofcircular cross-section each provided with inlet means at one end adaptedto deliver gas thereto with a whirling motion, each of said separatingelements being further provided with centrally disposed of saidseparating elements.

gas outlet means adjacent the same end as said, inlet means and with arestricted central outlet opening for separated material at the otherend thereof, and a common gas inlet chamber formed as a casingsurrounding all of said separating elements and communicating with saidinlet means of all of said separating elements and provided with aninlet opening for introduction of gas to said casing at a positionadjacent said other ends with a restricted central outlet opening forseparated material at the other end thereof, and a common gas inletchamber formed as a casing surrounding all of said separating elementsthroughout substantially the entire length of said elements and providedwith an inlet opening at elements .and coinmimicatingv with said inletmeans of all of saidelements and provided with an inlet opening forintroduction of gas to said I casing at a position adjacent said otherends of said separating elements and remote from the inlet means of therespective elements.

'3. An apparatus for separating suspended material from gases comprisinga plurality of elon-- gated tubular separating elements of circularcross-section each provided'at one end with inlet means for introducinggas thereto with a whirling I motion, each of :said separating elementsbeing .also provided with centrally disposed gas outlet means adjacentsaid oneend and with a restricted central outlet opening for separatedmaterial adjacent the other end thereof, a common-mas terial-receivingchamber connected to said other ends of all of the separating elementsin such.

-manner as to receive separated material dis-,

section and also having individual inlet means at 110.

one end adapted to deliver gas substantially tan- -'gentially into saidchamber adjacent the outer wall thereof and a restrictedoutlet forseparated material at the otherend, common gas inlet means fordelivering gas to the inlet means of the respective separating elements,and a clean gas outlet pipe disposed substantially centrally of eachelement and adjacent the same end as said individual inlet means, saidcommon gas inletmeans comprising a casing surrounding said separatingelements and communicating with the individual inlet means of saidelements, and provided with'an inlet opening for introduction of gas ata point adjacent saidother ends of the separating elements.

6. An apparatus for treating gases comprising a plurality of tubularseparating elements, each having a vertically elongated chamber ofcircular cross-section and also having individual inlet meansat itsupper end adapted to direct gas 30 downwardly into said chamber andadjacent the outer wall thereof with a vortical motion, and a clean gasoutlet pipe disposedfsubstantially cen trally of said element and withinsaid inlet means, the "lower end of said outlet pipebeing open and beingsubstantially at the level of theupper'encl of said elongated chamber, acommon material receptacle, all of said separating elements openingfreely into said material receptacle through restricted openings at thelower ends of the respective separating elements, and common gas inletmeans for delivering gas to the individual inlet I means of therespective elements, said common gas inlet means comprising a casingsurrounding,

said separating elements and communicating with the individual inletmeans of said elements; and having a gas inlet opening adjacent'thelower ends of said elements. r

' g GEORGE H. HORNE.)

, MARCEL A. LISSMAN.- 1

